These pork belly burnt ends get cured in pure molasses for 24 hours, smoked at 250°F to a deep mahogany bark at 175°F internal, then braised in a molasses BBQ glaze for another 2.5 hours until fall-apart tender. The final 15 minutes happen with the foil off so the glaze tightens into a sticky, lacquered finish that clings to every cube. The cook leans heavily on Grandma’s Molasses (or any unsulfured brand) from cure to glaze, and the result is rich, peppery, and deeply sweet. Total active time is about 30 minutes spread across two days, with about 6.5 hours on the smoker for a 3-pound pork belly that serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer.
Why Pork Belly Burnt Ends Are the King of BBQ Appetizers
What Burnt Ends Actually Are
Burnt ends started as the dark, crusty edges of a smoked Kansas City brisket. Pit masters used to give the trimmings away free at the counter because the chewy bark was considered a byproduct. Then BBQ enthusiasts realized those edges were the most flavorful part of the cook. Pork belly burnt ends apply the same principle to a fattier cut. As a result, you get all the bark, all the smoke, and all the caramelized glaze with significantly more rendered fat than brisket can offer.
Pork Belly vs Brisket Burnt Ends
Brisket burnt ends require smoking a full packer brisket and then re-cubing just the point end, which means 12+ hours of cooking and a lot of starting weight. In contrast, pork belly burnt ends start as cubes from the beginning, finish in about 6 to 7 hours total, and use a more affordable cut of meat. Moreover, the higher fat content in pork belly produces a softer, almost candy-like texture that pulls apart with a fork. Brisket burnt ends are chewier and beefier. Both have their place, but pork belly is the easier weekend project.
The Molasses Cure That Sets This Recipe Apart
Why Pure Molasses Instead of a Dry Rub
Most pork belly burnt ends recipes call for a dry rub of brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, and chili powder. That works, but it gives you a generic BBQ flavor that competes with the natural pork richness. Coating the cubes in pure molasses instead does something different. Specifically, the molasses penetrates the meat over 24 hours, contributing iron-rich sweetness and the dark caramelized notes you usually associate with stout beer or aged rum. Therefore, the finished burnt ends taste distinctly molasses-forward, not just sweet and smoky.
24 Hours Is the Sweet Spot for the Cure
Less than 12 hours and the molasses sits on the surface without penetrating. More than 36 hours and the cubes start to break down and turn mushy from the acid in the molasses. Furthermore, the 24-hour window gives the sugars time to dissolve into the meat fibers, building a deep flavor base before the smoke and glaze layers go on top. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap during the cure so the molasses does not dry out or pick up fridge odors. Toss the cubes once at the 12-hour mark to redistribute the coating.
Choosing and Cubing the Pork Belly
What to Look for at the Butcher
Look for a 3-pound piece of pork belly with the skin already removed. The fat-to-meat ratio should look roughly 50-50 in cross section. Too lean and the burnt ends turn dry. Too fatty and they end up greasy after the braise. Additionally, ask the butcher for the center-cut portion of the belly if possible, since the ends taper unevenly and cube poorly. Costco and Asian markets often carry whole skinless slabs at lower prices than standard grocery butchers.
How to Cut Even 1.5-Inch Cubes
Chill the pork belly in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes before cubing. The firm-but-not-frozen texture makes the fat much easier to slice cleanly. Trim away any extremely thick fat caps to maintain the meat-to-fat ratio. Then cut the belly into long 1.5-inch strips against the grain, and cube those strips into 1.5-inch pieces. Therefore, even cubes cook at the same rate and finish together. Uneven pieces leave you with some cubes burning while others are still underdone.
Smoking at 250°F to 175°F Internal
Why 250°F Hits the Sweet Spot
Smoking at 225°F (the standard low-and-slow temp) takes too long for pork belly cubes (5+ hours just for the smoke phase). 275°F renders the fat too fast and leaves you with greasy pieces. 250°F splits the difference. The temperature is hot enough to drive smoke into the meat and build proper bark in 3 to 4 hours, but cool enough that the fat renders gradually instead of all at once. Consequently, the finished cubes hold their shape through the braise without falling apart.
The 175°F Pull Point for Bark Development
Pull the cubes from the smoker once the internal temperature reads 175°F in the thickest cube. At this point, the molasses cure has caramelized into a dark mahogany bark, the pepper has bloomed under the heat, and the surface has set up enough to hold the braising glaze without dissolving back into a puddle. Pulling earlier means thin bark that disappears in the braise. Pulling later means the cubes finish their connective tissue breakdown on the smoker, leaving nothing for the braise to do.
The Braising and Tacking Steps
Building the Molasses BBQ Glaze
The braising glaze combines half a cup of BBQ sauce, a quarter cup of Grandma’s Molasses, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 2 tablespoons of honey. Warm everything in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts and the ingredients emulsify into a smooth, glossy sauce. Specifically, pre-heating the glaze matters because pouring cold glaze over hot smoked cubes shocks the surface and can cause the bark to seize up before the braise begins. As a result, the warm glaze flows into the cracks of the bark and coats the cubes evenly.
The Foil-Off Tack-Up for the Sticky Finish
After 2.5 hours covered in foil, the cubes are fall-apart tender but the glaze is loose and watery from the rendered fat. Removing the foil for the final 15 minutes lets the moisture evaporate and the sugars in the molasses concentrate. Moreover, the surface of the glaze “tacks up” from a runny pool into a sticky, lacquered coating that clings to every cube instead of sliding off. The 10-minute rest after pulling lets the glaze set up even further on the surface for the final clinging texture.
Step-by-Step: How to Make These Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Step 1: Cure in Molasses for 24 Hours
Cut the 3 pounds of pork belly into 1.5-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Pour the full cup of Grandma’s Molasses over the cubes and toss thoroughly until every piece is coated. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours. Toss once at the 12-hour mark to redistribute the cure.
Step 2: Pepper the Cubes Before the Smoke
Remove the pork belly cubes from the cure and gently shake off excess molasses over the bowl. Do not rinse. Transfer the cubes to a sheet pan or wire rack and season generously on all sides with coarse black pepper.
Step 3: Smoke at 250°F to 175°F Internal
Preheat the smoker to 250°F using your preferred wood pellets (hickory and oak both work well for pork belly). Place the cubes directly on the smoker grates with space between each for smoke circulation. Smoke until the cubes hit 175°F internal temperature in the thickest piece, about 3 to 4 hours. The cubes should show a deep mahogany bark with bloomed pepper on the surface.
Step 4: Build the Molasses BBQ Glaze
During the last 30 minutes of the smoke, build the glaze. Combine the half cup of BBQ sauce, quarter cup of molasses, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 2 tablespoons of honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk continuously until the butter melts and everything emulsifies into a smooth, glossy sauce. Keep the glaze warm until ready to use.
Step 5: Transfer to Foil Pan and Sauce
Once the cubes hit 175°F, transfer them to a foil pan in a single layer. Pour the warm glaze over the cubes and toss gently to coat every piece evenly. The warm glaze will flow into the cracks of the bark instead of sliding off.
Step 6: Braise Covered for 2.5 Hours
Cover the foil pan tightly with foil and return to the 250°F smoker. Braise for about 2.5 hours, until the pork is fall-apart tender. Check by probing a cube with a thermometer or skewer. It should slide in with almost no resistance.
Step 7: Tack Up the Sauce (Foil Off, 15 Minutes)
Remove the foil cover for the final 15 minutes of cooking. The exposed time evaporates the watery rendered fat from the braise and concentrates the sugars in the molasses, transforming the loose glaze into a sticky, lacquered coating that clings to every cube.
Step 8: Rest 10 Minutes and Serve
Pull the pan from the smoker and let the burnt ends rest for 10 minutes. The rest allows the sauce to set up further on the surface of each cube. Serve directly from the foil pan or transfer to a serving platter with the remaining pan sauce spooned over the top.
Molasses-Cured Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cut the pork belly into 1.5-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Pour the full cup of molasses over the cubes and toss thoroughly until every piece is fully coated. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours, tossing once at the 12-hour mark to redistribute the cure.
- Remove the cubes from the cure and gently shake off excess molasses (do not rinse). Transfer to a sheet pan and season generously on all sides with coarse black pepper.
- Preheat the smoker to 250°F using hickory or oak pellets. Place the cubes directly on the smoker grates with space between each for smoke circulation. Smoke for 3 to 4 hours until the cubes reach 175°F internal temperature with a deep mahogany bark.
- During the last 30 minutes of the smoke, build the glaze: combine BBQ sauce, 1/4 cup molasses, butter, and honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the butter melts and everything emulsifies into a smooth, glossy sauce. Keep warm.
- Transfer the smoked cubes to a foil pan in a single layer. Pour the warm glaze over the top and toss gently to coat every piece evenly.
- Cover the foil pan tightly with heavy-duty foil and return to the 250°F smoker. Braise for 2.5 hours until the pork is fall-apart tender. A probe should slide into a cube with almost no resistance.
- Remove the foil cover for the final 15 minutes of cooking to evaporate excess moisture and tack up the glaze into a sticky, lacquered coating.
- Pull the pan from the smoker and rest for 10 minutes so the sauce sets up on the surface. Serve directly from the pan with the remaining sauce spooned over the top.
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Pork Belly Burnt Ends — FAQ
Everything you need to nail the molasses cure, the 175°F pull point, and the lacquered finish.
Setup & Basics
Use unsulfured molasses, which is the standard for cooking. Grandma’s Molasses (the recipe’s named brand) is widely available and works great. Brer Rabbit Mild Flavor is another solid option. Avoid blackstrap molasses for this recipe — it’s much more bitter and mineral-tasting, which competes with the BBQ glaze instead of supporting it. Sulfured molasses also adds a chemical aftertaste that does not belong here.
The recipe as written is intentionally sweet-forward without added salt in the cure, which produces a candy-like burnt end. For a more savory finish that “reads” closer to a traditional Kansas City burnt end, add 2 teaspoons of kosher salt to the cup of molasses before coating the cubes. The salt sharpens the bark, balances the sweetness, and pulls the molasses flavor deeper into the meat. Both versions work — it comes down to whether you want sweet-glazed or sweet-and-savory.
Skin off. Pork belly skin needs much higher heat than 250°F to render and crisp, which means leaving it on results in chewy, rubbery skin that ruins the texture. Most US grocery stores sell pork belly with the skin already removed. If your butcher only has skin-on, ask them to remove it (most will do this for free) or score the skin in a crosshatch pattern and slice it off at home with a sharp knife before cubing.
Hickory and oak are the top choices. Both have enough strength to stand up to the heavy molasses flavor without getting lost. Hickory gives a sharper, more BBQ-classic smoke. Oak gives a softer, more rounded smoke. A blend of the two works well if you have it. Avoid mild fruit woods like apple, cherry, or pecan for this recipe — the subtle fruit notes disappear under the molasses backbone and leave the smoke flavor feeling thin.
Technique & Troubleshooting
Almost always a braising time issue. The 2.5 hours covered in foil is when the connective tissue and fat break down into tender, fall-apart pork. Pulling the pan at 90 minutes or 2 hours instead of 2.5 leaves the cubes chewy. Other causes to check: the cubes were cut too large (over 2 inches) and need extra time, the smoker temperature dropped below 250°F during the braise, or the foil seal was not tight enough and moisture escaped. Check tenderness by probing — a thermometer should slide into a cube with no resistance.
Yes, but you lose the smoke flavor that’s central to the recipe. Set the oven to 250°F and follow the same time and temperature schedule. To add some smoke flavor back, mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of liquid smoke into the molasses cure, or add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika to the pepper seasoning before the bark phase. Place the cubes on a wire rack over a sheet pan for the initial cook so they don’t sit in their own rendered fat. The braise and tack-up steps work identically in the oven.
Ready to Level Up?
Take your backyard cooking from good to legendary.
This is where I keep all my most-used smokers, knives, and favorite cooking tools.
Shop My Gear CollectionExplore More Recipes
Find more diverse flavors at CWFeats.com
